London has been battered by 50mph winds that have felled trees and caused travel chaos. Powerful gusts swept across the capital as the Met Office issued a yellow "be aware" weather alert for most of the country.

The “pay to play” debate was reignited today after council bosses revealed plans to charge for premium adventure playground services.

Basic facilities such as rope swings and chain ladders will be free at the new Battersea Park Adventure Playground.

But “additional adventure and challenge” top-ups — such as using an aerial walkway or a climbing wall — will be available only for those who can pay.

Wandsworth council bulldozed the site last month after evicting the final Occupy protesters who were part of a last-gasp effort to save it.

The council is investing £200,000 in new adventure play equipment that does not require monitoring by staff, 14 of who lost their jobs.

Now private firms, charities, voluntary groups and not-for-profit organisations will be invited to tender to manage “additional services” on the site.

According to council documents, these could include an “aerial walkway” and “climbing wall” — similar to the equipment the council bulldozed from the site. A café is also planned.

A council agenda document states: “A provider would be likely to make a charge for these additional services”. It also says: “The benefits of such an approach are not only the potential to generate income for the council but also the potential to offer a range of additional, probably charged-for, leisure opportunities to enhance the experience of adventure.”

The plans are due to be agreed by a children’s services scrutiny committee. Eighteen month ago, council bosses floated the idea of charging a £2.50 entry charge, but this was scrapped in favour of an unstaffed facility.

Jane Eades, of the Wandsworth Against Cuts pressure group, said: “They are using these adventure top-ups and the play huts as cash cows.”

Kathy Tracey, Wandsworth’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “These improvements come on top of the £500,000 in capital investment that the council has spent on refurbishing three playgrounds.”